13 February 2019
A new panel which brings together hospital staff and volunteer patient representatives at an equal level has been unveiled to give patients, carers and members of the public more of a voice at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals.
The Patient and Carer Experience (PaCE) Panel has been unveiled by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
The panel is made up of members of the public who volunteer their time to work collaboratively with staff members. The PaCE Panel will see the patient representatives and senior staff work together to improve quality standards across the Trust and to raise patient, carer and public voices.
Eleven patient, carer and public representatives were selected to join the PaCE Panel after an appeal for candidates in the local media and senior staff members from each of the Care Groups and senior representatives from Facilities, Estates, Engagement, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints, Dementia, and Clinical Audit teams will form the rest of the group.
The panel will be jointly chaired by the Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Quality and Deputy Director of Nursing. In order to ensure that there is patient representation from Maternity, the Chair of the local Maternity Voices partnership will also attend PaCE Panel meetings as a member.
In a continued effort to promote transparency and accountability within the Trust, the PaCE Panel will inform and provide feedback to the Quality and Safety Committee. An emphasis will be placed on continued learning and improved patient experience within the Trust.
Ruth Smith, Lead for Patient Experience, said: “The joining together of staff and patient representatives in the PaCE Panel will combine knowledge and skills across both groups of strategic leadership, equality and diversity, research and involvement in local patient participation groups.
“Collaboratively, the PaCE Panel will strive towards improved and sustainable patient care across the Trust, putting the needs of our local community first.”